December 2020 Valley Vine

Christmas 2020 I bring good news of great joy

the

Valley Vine December 2020 Vol. 65, No. 11 Valley Presbyterian Church

Senior Pastor

DAVID JOYNT

Dear friends, This year I took on the home project of over-seeding our grass and growing a winter lawn. No crews were hired and no machines rented. I went old school, and tried to get in touch with my inner pioneer.

It turned out that proud independence is harder than I thought and many lessons were learned. Aerating the summer grass with a metal rake may require several days of recovery. The parable of the sower is easier to preach on than imitate. Plastic owls do not deter birds from their seed feast. Pebbles from nearby decorative beds can only be removed from a kneeling position. It will take 16 fifty pound bags of topper to cover your lawn. Your water bill will spike. Growing grass in Arizona is not for the faint-hearted, feeble-minded, or work averse!

Yet, I also learned that there was a curious and profound satisfaction in the whole exhausting process. There was more planning, investment, and labor than expected. But I was also more engaged with our garden than ever before. Every day, on waking, I inspect the growth and cheer for every sprouting section.

Everything has been harder than anticipated in this unexpected year. Worship and education have been harder. Pastoral care has been challenging. The pandemic has complicated planning, negated normal schedules, and compromised weddings and funerals. Our mission partners who feed, mentor, and house have all had to make drastic adaptations. Building projects have been slowed and celebrations delayed.

Yet there has been a curious and profound spiritual satisfaction amidst the work and the struggle. Building projects have been completed. Pastoral care and education has moved online.

Livestream and limited in-person worship services have reached more people than ever before. Children and youth have been blessed by digital church school and innovative events like homebased VBS and drive-through Trunk or Treat. Navajo neighbors have been fed by the thousands, homeless families have been sheltered, and mentor programs have increased. God has made things grow despite harsh conditions, and I wake up every day excited to see which patch is sprouting!

The harder the challenges the more our vital powers are engaged, the more we learn, the more we get to see and share God’s sublime creativity and surprising grace. I hope and pray that as we move through Christmas and into 2021, things will be easier and effective vaccines will dramatically change our situation, nationally and globally. But I know He will do marvelous things at VPC, no matter the conditions we face or obstacles we must overcome. Expect the Shepherd to take us to green pastures and still waters. I can’t wait to see what sprouts and grows this winter and spring.

Yours in Christ,

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Highlighte d

EVENTS

Service of REMEMBRANCE

Dove Tree Service of Remembrance Tuesday, December 1, 2PM Memorial Garden

Feel free to come to the Garden, write a name on a dove, place it on the tree, and offer a prayer.

Advent.ure Wednesday, December 2 6-7:30PM, Awaken CafĂŠ Plaza

Start the holiday season with friends, family, and fun!

Presbyterian Women Christmas Gathering Wednesday, December 16 10AM, Sanctuary

RSVP: Ruth Brannan, zrbrannan@q.com Bible study & Christmas music. Everyone is welcome!

Sunday, December 13 2 & 6PM, Sanctuary

RSVP: vpc.church, search 'Concert' No childcare

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Christmas Eve at Valley Presbyterian Church Thursday, December 24 Livestream and in-person, VPC Sanctuary

2PM: 4PM: 6PM: 8PM:

Band, overflow Sanctuary South Patio outdoor seating Band, overflow Sanctuary South Patio outdoor seating Valley Singers & organ, violin, harp Awaken Café Plaza outdoor seating Valley Singers & organ, violin, harp Awaken Café Plaza outdoor seating

Livestream: vpc.church/live-worship It is the most wonderful time of the year!

We are excited to celebrate safely with you: • • • •

All services livestreamed & in-person Outdoor & overflow seating available at all services Standard mitigation (masks, distancing, RSVP) for all services Childcare (0-35 months) available at 2, 4, & 6PM

RSVP Coming soon!

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Look for an announcement via email and in worship.

Sunday Mornings NATIVITY PAGEANT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

8:30 & 10:30AM services Celebrate the coming arrival of the Christ child with VPC's annual Nativity Pageant!

Events

ONE WORSHIP SERVICE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27

In-person & livestream Sanctuary, 9AM Bring 2020 to a joyous close at VPC.

DOVE TREE SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE

Tuesday, December 1, 2PM, Memorial Garden, Pastor David Turner presiding If you have lost a loved one, feel free to come to the Memorial Garden, write their name on a dove, place it on the tree, and offer a silent prayer. Join us as we remember those who have passed.

ADVENT.URE

Wednesday, December 2, 6-7:30PM, Awaken CafĂŠ Plaza Sign up: vpc.church, search 'Adventure' Free: $10 donation for wreath suggested. It's an event to start the Christmas season! Families of all ages are welcome to join us. Come join the Advent.ure!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: NO ROOM

Featuring the VPC Chancel Choir and members of the Phoenix Symphony Sunday, December 13, 2 & 6PM, Sanctuary & livestream RSVP: vpc.church, search 'Concert', No childcare Free will offering supporting VPC Mission Partners Come on a journey that celebrates the importance of music in our lives and how music enriches the holiday season. Sponsored by Valley Presbyterian Foundation.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN CHRISTMAS GATHERING

Wednesday, December 16, Sanctuary 10AM: Bible Study with Pastor David Joynt 11AM: Christmas music presented by Jennifer Hamm & Julia Tucker RSVP: Ruth Brannan, zrbrannan@q.com Mitigation & physical distancing apply. Everyone is welcome!

NATIVITY PAGEANT

Sunday, December 20, 8:30 & 10:30AM (video presentation during worship) This event is one of the highlights of the year, join us in person or on the VPC livestream!

MISSION TOY DRIVE-MENTORKIDS USA & TUBA CITY, AZ

Return gifts by Monday, December 7 Email Chris Woodard, Pastor of Mission & Engagement, with questions: chrisw@vpc.church Please take a tag from table outside the Sanctuary and bring back an unwrapped toy. Gifts collected by December 8 will go to the MentorKids Christmas Party, all other gifts will go to our mission partner in Tuba City on the Navajo Nation.

HOSTING FAMILY PROMISE OF GREATER PHOENIX

VPC is Hosting over Christmas break Sunday, December 20-Sunday, December 27 Email Chris Woodard, Pastor of Mission & Engagement to volunteer: chrisw@vpc.church Family Promise rescues families from the streets to provide emergency shelter and basic needs in a 60-day program designed to assist their return to self-sufficiency. Family Promise partners with VPC to provide safe overnight shelter, food, and compassion to families in crisis.

SUPPORT VPC MINISTRIES WHILE DOING YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Here are a two convenient methods to contribute to the great ministries at VPC. A portion of your purchase supports God's work at VPC. It's easy and free!

Frys Food Stores: Visit fryscommunityrewards.com, follow a few easy instructions, and you can link your VIP card to Valley Presbyterian Church (organization number CB529).

Amazon:Log into your account through smile.amazon.com and select "Valley Presbyterian Church" before you shop.

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CLASSES ARE RETURNING IN JANUARY! Oasis Community Wednesdays have something for the whole family.

Learn more & Sign up: vpc.church/classes

Paul: The Man, The Letter-Writer, & The Missionary Wednesdays, January 6, 13, 20, Sanctuary, 6-7PM, In-Person & Livestream Register: vpc.church/classes Speaker: Dr. Jeffrey Weima, Calvin Theological Seminary This three-week presentation by Dr. Jeffrey Weima of Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, paints a picture of the man who wrote more books of the Bible than any other: the Apostle Paul. January 6: Paul the Man: His early training and activities before becoming a follower of Christ, his conversion, his extensive missionary travels and work, and the traditions surrounding his martyrdom.

• January 13: Paul the Letter-Writer: The skilled and persuasive manner in which the apostle wrote his letters, including the letter of Philemon, which will be the focus of our attention.

• January 20: Paul the Missionary: The major missionary journeys of Paul and the exciting ways in which ancient sites ‑ with archaeological information of Roman history and culture ‑ make the account of these journeys in the Book of Acts much more understandable and resonant.

Come to these three presentations and you will never view Paul or read his letters in the same way again!

10 GREAT DATES Wednesdays, January 13- March 24 (no class February 17 & March 10), Upper Youth Room, 6-7:30PM Register: vpc.church/classes Facilitators: Tina & Todd Gilbreath A marriage boost for couples of all ages! Whether you want to grow as a couple, need a little relationship tune up, or just want a date night with your spouse, come join us for 10 Great Dates this spring. Each week Todd & Tina facilitate an opening segment and assignment (based on the book 10 Great Dates, which is provided). The rest of class is for you and your spouse to enjoy a date together and to discuss your assignment.

Need childcare? Sign your kids up for Oasis Kids! (ages 5-5th grade), Oasis Minis (age 3-5), or our nursery.

THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH: THE BOOK OF ACTS Wednesdays, January 27 – March 24, 6-7PM (no classes February 17 & March 10) Calvin Center or via Zoom (Meeting ID: 813 1987 8658) Register: vpc.church/classes Presented by: Pastor Chris Woodard Learn about the start of the Christian church according to eyewitness accounts gathered by Luke.

6 Class will be lecture and discussion as we learn from scripture, pastors, and each other.

AN ATTITUDE COMMITTEE OF GRATITUDE Stewardship

In spite of (or maybe because of) the challenges we’ve all faced in 2020, you continue to be amazingly generous to Valley Presbyterian Church! In the two weeks following Commitment Sunday on November 15, just 16% of our congregation pledged to give almost 50% of our needs for 2021. From patterns in past years, we can predict that the full budget for next year likely will be satisfied by our gifts. Of course, this will require a maintenance of effort throughout our congregation, including the many who choose to give without pledging.

Jon & Caryll Kyl

Support for VPC’s missions reflects our absolute joy in praising our God. “Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name...” Psalm 29:2

We can never give enough to fully glorify His name or return all He has given us.

However, we not only praise Him with our gifts, but He promises our gifts will result in blessings to us. “Give and it will be given to you...” Luke 6:36-38 VPC Stewardship Committee Chair

For us, giving is both an act of gratitude and praise, but also a form of discipleship, manifesting the Holy Spirit by supporting the missions of our Church with gifts of our time, talents, and treasure.

Your Stewardship Committee thanks you on behalf of the many beneficiaries of your gifts. You have, and will continue to change lives. God bless you and bless your generous gifts to His service.

Valley Presby terian

FOUNDATION

SURPLUS FOR HIS PLAN

Estate Planning Seminar Tuesday, January 12 & March 16, Sanctuary, 3 & 5PM Register: vpc.church/classes Speakers: Bill McKee & Sam Kelsall Introduction of The Economics of God’s Plan, A mandate for Surplus Creation.

Introduction of Estate Planning has three subsections: Estate Creation, the preservation of that Estate, and the distribution of the Estate upon the death of the owner.

William B. McKee is a scholar in residence at VPC. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned a Master’s of Economics from UCLA. A jet instructor pilot in the Air Force, he completed a civilian career in commercial banking. Bill retired in 2000 and graduated from Fuller Seminary in 2015, where he earned a Master’s in Theology. He writes on theology and teaches adult Christian education. He and his wife Penne, had two children. Their son’s estate will now educate his sister’s two children.

Samuel Kelsall IV is an Attorney of 54 years. His focus over the past several years has been in Estate Planning, probate, adult guardianship and conservatorship, trust administration, assistance with Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and helping you through the probate process. Sam owns and manages Law Firm of Samuel Kelsall IV. Sam earned Doctor of Law (J.D.) from The University of Texas at Austin. Sam is a Vice Chairman of Finance for the Boy Scouts of America, where he dedicated many years of service. Sam has been a VPC lay leader for over 30 years as an Elder, Trustee, and advisor on legal and financial matters. Sam has personally handled hundreds of wills and Trusts for VPC members as part of his personal commitment to his church and God.

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THANK YOU FOR OPERATIONS YOUR GENEROSITY Finances &

Total Project Cost

$13,500,000

Project Componets: Support for our Mission Partners

$1,260,000

Sanctuary $7,010,000 Construction, HVAC, organ renovation, acoustics, audio/visual, furnishings

Kris Bahr

Finance & Operations Director 480-991-6424 ext. 112 krisb@vpc.church

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you.

-Ezekiel 36:26 This verse was at the top of the fundraising brochure from 2018 – a brochure that included the invitation Together Let’s Build a New Heart for the Valley.

Fast forward to December 2020 and the substantial completion of A New Heart for the Valley. As we wrap up the construction, I want to share with you final numbers for the project.

Thank you

Student, Family Ministry, Valley $2,750,000 Day School expansion; Café Fireside Room renovation, renovations, construction and furnishings for Student Ministry, children, and adult classrooms Plaza $800,000 Plaza construction, landscape, site work Architectural & Consultant Fee, Permits, Testing

Looking back over the past couple of years, there is no doubt that indeed we did Together Build a New Heart for the Valley. A total of $12,563,300, or 93% of the total cost, was pledged, and of that amount, over $10.7 million has been paid. We are fortunate to have an interest rate of just 1.75% on our bridge loan, of which we expect to use about $2 million to finalize payments for vendors and contractors. Even though our interest rate is so favorable, we encourage payment of outstanding pledges so the loan can be paid off as soon as possible.

As the actual work on the project comes to an end, we are only 7%, or $959,000, away from meeting the $13.5 million goal. The month of December always brings opportunities for special year-end giving, and this year, we invite you to consider helping us to achieve that goal.

VPC finances year-to-date as of October 31, 2020 Income

Actual $

Budget $ Variance $

Faith Giving **Other Income Total Income

1,455,500 1,470,000 213,300 149,200 1,668,800 1,619,200

-14,500 64,100 49,600

Pastoral Ministry Admin & Facility *Mission, Outreach, Cong. Care** Christian Education Worship & Music Total Expense

374,900 377,700 804,900 856,200 218,300 66,800 210,800 303,100 175,200 188,700 1,784,100 1,792,500

2,800 51,300 -151,500 92,300 13,500 8,400

Expense

Net Income less Expense

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$1,680,000

-115,300

-173,300

58,000

*In addition, $61,700 mission support to MentorKids, Family Promise, Ministry of Hope and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance provided upon repurposing of VPF Kurz Scholarship Fund. **$95,100 in special giving was allocated to Navajo churches, Family Promise, MentorKids, and Malawi.

News from

SESSION

NOVEMBER MEETING UPDATE

Ed Glady reported to Session that for the most part the Building Project is done. He complimented Doug Eaton and Chris Woodard on the great job they did opening Awaken Cafe. There is still a list of things to complete so the Building Committee will not dissolve until the end of January 2021.

Greg Kreizenbeck, VPC's Building Consultant did a very professional job and will complete his service on December 31.

VPC is grateful for Bob Aldag's service on Presbytery for over 10 years, including chairing the Committee on Ministry. Bob will complete his service at the end of this year. Thank you, Bob!

Karen Meyer Clerk of Session 480-368-6567

Travis Kingma, Pastor of Next Generation Ministry and contemporary Worship, reviewed the Middle and High School Program for the past year. Needless to say, it was an unprecedented year, but staff and volunteers worked diligently to move programs to digital platforms and stay in touch with the students. Amidst all the challenges and difficulties, they were grateful for unexpected opportunities they found to better love students, one another, and God. Session is very thankful for Travis.

Risk Management and P&O met to evaluate the effectiveness of VPC's mitigation program for in-person services and all activities on campus. Will Humble, Executive Director for the Arizona Public Health Association, complimented VPC for following its procedures and feels we can continue with programming in spite of increasing virus numbers because mitigation procedures are working. Session, with Will's agreement, decided beverages could not be brought into the Sanctuary until after the vaccine is available.

Session is requesting the Presbytery make the position held by Chris Woodard a regular pastor position: Associate Pastor for Mission, Engagement, Outreach, and Discipleship and Spiritual Growth. It hopes to bring this to the congregation for a vote at the Annual Meeting. Chris was approved by the Presbytery as a Temporary Pastor in November 2019. After one year, the church can request the Presbytery to reclassify the position from Temporary to Pastor.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me.

Church office will be closed Friday, December 25 and Monday, December 28 for Christmas holiday.

May you and your family feel the blessings of Christmas.

NEW TEAM MEMBER TEAM UPDATE & MILESTONE!

Communication

It's been an eventful time for the Communications Team at VPC! In October the whole staff celebrated Katrina Carney's 25th work anniversary at VPC with a socially-distant painting party and lunch. In November we welcomed VPC's new Website & Social Media Manager, Savannah Bortner, to the team. Our community is incredibly blessed by Katrina's career of commitment and by Savannah's passion and expertise with digital media and storytelling.

Painting party masterpiece

I was born & raised in chilly Minneapolis, Minnesota!

I received my Bachelor of Fine Art in Photography and Painting from Bethel University in Saint Paul, MN, along with a double minor in Art History and Film Analysis. I just relocated to Scottsdale in September.

I have the travel bug and have lived in France, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. I had the opportunity to do Youth With A Mission in Queenstown, New Zealand from October 2018-March of 2019.

My passions are film, art, fashion, sustainability and social justice. You can almost always find me listening to Bon Iver. I draw most of my inspiration from art history and music. One fun fact about me is that I’m obsessed with dachshunds (yes, wiener dogs)!

I love hiking, travel, watching films, reading, whitewater rafting, kayaking, painting, and exploring all that Arizona has to offer! I’m so excited to be part of the VPC team and look forward to growing with the church and getting to know the congregation!

Savannah hiking Slide Rock State Park 9